The textile sector, one of the export-intensive sectors of Turkey, continues to be the leading sector of Turkey's exports with its successful performance. According to the Turkey Exporters' Council (TIM), despite the fluctuations observed in the world market and target during the year 2014, the textile sector is preparing to increase its export volume recorded as 28.5 billion dollars in 2015.
How was the first half of 2014?
In 2015, the most important role of the high expectations is the growth observed in the first half of the year. In the first half of 2014, the export volume of the textile sector increased by 8.7 % compared to 2013 and reached 4.5 billion dollars; it increased by 21.9 % in 2011 and decreased by 1.2 % in 2012 and increased again by 7 % in 2013. During the first half of 2014, the total export volume of Turkey increased by 7.3 % and reached 79.9 billion dollars; the export volume in the field of industry increased by 7.1 % and reached 62.8 billion dollars.
The textile sector, which increased its export volume 8.7 % during the first half of 2014, showed a better performance than the total export volume of Turkey, 7.3 %, and the export volume of the industry, 7.1 %. With this success, the share of the textile sector in the total export volume and industrial export volume increased from 5.6 % to 5.7 % and 7.1 % to 7.2 %, respectively.
Changes in the Market
During January-December period of 2014, the textile export to EU, Middle East, African countries and Turkish Republics increased by 4.8-55.4 % in varying proportions. The textile export to Former Eastern Bloc, American, Asian, Oceanian and European countries decreased by 1.4 % - 11.7 %.
The textile export to Eastern Bloc countries such as Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkey's second largest market following EU countries, reduced by 11.7 % and amounted to $ 741 million in the first half of 2014. On the other hand, the textile export to Middle Eastern countries, the third largest market, increased by 55.4 % and rose from 310.6 million to $ 482.5 million. The share of the textile export to Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Israel and Kuwait increased from 7.2 % to 10.7 % in total textile exports.
The exports to the country group including such countries as Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and the Republic of South Africa reached to $ 462.5 million with an increase rate of 4.8 %. The exports to Oceanian countries including Japan, China, and Hong Kong, India reduced to 234.4 million dollars with a decrease rate of 8.8 %. The exports to Turkish Republics such as Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan reached to $ 88.4 million by increasing 38.9 %.
New Markets Stand Out
In Africa and other regions where Turkish, Russian and Arabic are spoken, the significant opportunities started to appear last few years especially for textile and garment sectors which stand out with their production volume for European countries. Although the political tension between Russia and Ukraine in recent years has caused a decrease rate of 30 % in this market, it is believed that the shuttle trade, which is not reported with official figures, reached 10 billion dollars. Turkey has exerted great efforts to develop political and economic relations with the African countries for a long time. Sub-Saharan countries and Nigeria and Kenya, in particular, are important in this respect.
“We need to make use of the opportunities”
İsmail Gülle, the Chairman of Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association (ITHIB) stated in relation to this issue that Turkish textile sector contributes to the current deficit of Turkey with its current surplus and emphasized that Turkish textile and garment sectors have attained great successes in recent years and making use of the prominent markets is a must for the continuity of this success.
Expressing that textile sector had a better year when compared to general export, Gülle added that: “For the textile and garment sectors, we are closing this year with an outcome beyond this entire table. The year will end with an increase of more than 8 % in export. In terms of the targets of 2013, we can say that we are on the right path towards the prescribed goals. There is no problem in this regard. We have 9 years ahead to 2023. It is also pleasing to see that textile and garment sectors still have the highest performances by far and this shows us that there must be higher performances in the other sectors to reach the targets. Despite all the negativities and cost factors that we complain, the deep and sound structure of the textile sector and the change within it surprise the outsiders, not us as the people directly dealing with it.”
